Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-12-29
A Letter From b. IL. Bndd.
STOCKTON. Kan. Dec. 20, l.


DEAR OLD HERALD:-I believe your
10 odd years have just brought your
full bloom, really believe you grow
better looking with each advancing
added year, and now Ill tell you few
things that have happened away out
here in the great American desert. Some
- years ago the first white man settled
in Rocks county. To-day it has 1885
people. 5 plated villages, the
largest, Stockton, years ago had less
than 500 inhabitants, to-day q few short
of 1000, a good comfortable court
house, about 40x50. stories, of white
magnesia lime stone, one school build
ing nearly AS large and rented rooms
for 200 other scholars, 100000 water
works which saved in one fire recently
ESTIMATED twice entire planD. water
fresh and good, brought in almost
every door yard and many houses al
most every room. electric lights, first
in any city in the u. 5. Of less than
1000 inhabitants $50 said), all public
buildings. churches. stores, and all prin-
cipal streets making the darkest night
almost midday. An academy under the
control of the Congregational church,
about 50x72 will be stories high and
the finest piece Of archie 'ture west Of
Salina, Kan. beautiful rel brick and
trimmed with white stone, sort OF
crazy quilt style, now stories high and
nearly completed and the school started
promptly on time and in temporary
quarters. rooms 24X80 feet. and a large
boarding house tor feeding the pupils
at about cost, and under charge of
matron of much experience and six
professors, one in music, vocal and in
strumental, all marching in per-
feet time and early in season expect TO
keep step from present quarters into
the new building, which is expected to
drain for its support all northwestern
Kan, or at least all of Congregation
al proclivities. A large cheese factory
and creamery built of brick about 26x50
or so feet, five hotels and 9th building,
4 liveries, none less than 100 feet long
and one a fine stone structure 100 feet
long, the 9Th burned recently. One
hotel of brick, stories high with about
30 rooms, it is in the form of an l. with
one front 100 and the other 50 feet long,
it is lighted by gas and heated by steam.
One railroad and more will likely
come in 1888 Two other competing
towns, one located on the plains of
Paradise, well named rs nothing can
excel its location for beauty of soil and
lay, the other. Webster. is 10 miles
west ia the Solomon valley.
These are some Of the things here as
fixtures. So let me say to any
who may ever think Of going west,
and particularly way out into wild west
Kansas, that they are going away from
we have as sharp men here
who can see good thing as quick as if
Just coming from the direction Of the
rising sur. Oh, no. don't come this
way with any such notions. shake them
off first before you start. Yet | must
not forget 70 say. we have four churches
Methodist. Congregational and Chris
tian, all flourishing, Catholic drags
little.
While last season was somewhat dis
couraging to farmers. they are pecking
the fiInts aud soon will be ready for an-
olher engagement for 1888 Stock
interest is improving. People find grain
raising don't pay. too far from market.
bat stock does. and line horses and
cattle ara being introduced here and all
through this part OF Kansas, and from
eastern Kansas recently was a load OF
Kansas horses shipped 10 Maine. and
ere many years Kansas wiil be IN New
York and Chic h. with horses by the
car load for ssie Competing with
those raised on $50 or $50 an acre land
while here man can aggregate as
large farm as needed for 80 TO Sl5 an
acre, with abundant water, and no
better native grass land exists. |
~ II. BrpP